On Friday the 14th of Sept I did a forum at a Buddhest Convention centre (Soka Gakkai International Australia) at Sydney Olympic with Professor Gordon Parker from the Back Dog Institute, Dr Geoff Gallop Ex W.A Premier and another very psychratrist from Penrith whose name I've forgotten. About 400 turned up, Kylie Quong provided delicious food. The basis of the forum was whether creativity and dialogue was vital in dealing with depression. The basic concensus was that when you are in a deep pit chatting or doing a simple stick figure can seem elusive but that both dialogue and creativity are wonderful tool when you're coming out of it. The night went extremely quickly and I'm sure if the Q & A's had been allowed to continue we would have been there till the wee hours of the morning.
On the 19th of September I flew to Coolum with Professor Parker where we gave 2 speeches at the Minerals & Energy Human Resourses Conference. The mining and oil industry are full of big men doing big jobs in far off places, like many of the farmers I talk to there probably isn't much of a culture where it's cool to stick your hand up when you're in need of help. Thankfully alot of these big corporations are keen to learn and implement new ways in which deal with people in difficulty.
On Saturday the 21st I drove 4 1/2hrs from Sydney to a town called Merrywah (sp) near Scone in the Hunter Valley Region where I spoke to a group of mostly elderly retired farmers. This talk was put on by the local Men in Sheds program. This was the 1st talk I've given to MEN ONLY and it was a highly receptive crowd and a wonderful afternoon. After I spoke Ollie hall who is an ex Walliby gave a talk about how he was the Luckiest Man Alive. The jist of his talk was that although he's been through many trials and tribulations he has a remarkable amount to be grateful for. I fully agree with this it's so much easier to focus on what's wrong in our lives as it is to neglect what's good. Sometimes it's just good to pause and count our blessings, they work as little mental well being pennies in our brain bank. They all add up ! Woof woof
WALKING and TALKING the BLACK DOG
In August of 2006 I was asked to do a joint talk with Professor Gordon Parker from the Black Dog Institute (www.blackdoginstitute.org.au) for the Illumni Association (past graduates) at the University of Sydney. The night before the talk Professor Parker rang to say that they had met the full capacity for the room that they had booked which was about 120 (they’d been expecting between 50 to 75 people). ‘That’s good ….isn’t it?’ I asked with my insides already forming a giant pretzel, he replied ‘Yes it is good …. but we just don’t know what to do with the other 650 people that have RSVP’d’.
It wasn’t quite the fireside chat I’d been hoping for and apart for the urge to book a flight to somewhere incredibly remote; the night was a success and the beginning of a new chapter in my life.
I’ve since realised that it’s one thing to create a book about depression and it’s another entirely to get up in a room full of strangers and prize open your chest. Terrifying and rewarding at the same time.
When I delivered I Had a Black Dog to Pan Mac Millan in 2005 I emphatically stated that it was not my intention to become the poster boy for depression. I told them defiantly that it maybe part of who I am but it’s not the sum total.
Them’s fighting words were subconscious attempts counter balance my gnawing, inner fear and turmoil about what I launching into the ether.
This little book was after all, was the polar opposite of the appearance I’d been so carefully grooming and projecting for the last 20 years. One shiny, happy, chappy with a resume of tricks.
What I’ve since learned is that if you allow yourself to be authentic and if you allow yourself to go into a spirtual free fall it’s amazing where life can and will take you.
For years I was terrified of what people would think or do if they found out I harboured a head full of woe. The Imax theatre in my mind played horror films in 3D and
Dolby Hi-Fidelity of possible outcomes. What I’ve since learnt is that being truly genuine and authentic is actually quite a rare human commodity. In truth the majority of us tend live our lives like those surface dwelling mosquito’s whom live their lives skimming, without ever going deep.
I’m not suggesting that we all need to publicly air our troubles or talk constantly of deep and meaningful’s but if we wish to overcome difficulties it’s important to (a) face who we truly are (b) learn the skills to communicate authentically to those we love (c) go easy on ourselves (d) admit that we’re not alone (e) realise that it’s ok and not a crime to ask for help. Otherwise, like me; we tend repeat lessons until learnt and that can be a long, crummy & painful class.
Since the Illumni Speech I’ve done many such talks all over Australia mostly to corporations and rural communities. Both of these environments are radically different but the problems of mental health are the same. In the country there’s the attitude of ‘she’ll be right mate’ and in business ‘you’re only as good as your last deal’.
There’s no room for ‘I’m not happy and I have no idea why’ or ‘help!’
The public attitude towards it is not unlike someone farting on a bus, everyone is aware of it’s existence but they won’t acknowledge it and the person who farted did won’t own up to it for fear of ridicule.
But at the end of the day we all fart because we’re only human.
When you consider that last year, in Australia alone there was over 20 million scripts written out for anti-depressant and anxiety medication. The boardrooms, tents or paddocks I’ve talked in have been pretty much to full capacity, not because I’m an outstanding speaker or incredibly good looking (ha ha) but because there is a great need for information and understanding on the subject.
To me it’s all about turning a negative into a positive, it’s about facing adversity and coming out the other side. It’s about instituting change within the society we live and the places we work so that this, condition, disease, Black Dog, what ever you might call it can be better understood, articulated and dealt with.
I don’t like to think about it as talking about depression per say, depression is a label.
It’s about human frailty which all of us can relate to on some level.
If you are interested in me talking for a group or event please contact me on ihadablackdog@hotmail.com and I’ll send you a brief synopsis of my presentation.
In August of 2006 I was asked to do a joint talk with Professor Gordon Parker from the Black Dog Institute (www.blackdoginstitute.org.au) for the Illumni Association (past graduates) at the University of Sydney. The night before the talk Professor Parker rang to say that they had met the full capacity for the room that they had booked which was about 120 (they’d been expecting between 50 to 75 people). ‘That’s good ….isn’t it?’ I asked with my insides already forming a giant pretzel, he replied ‘Yes it is good …. but we just don’t know what to do with the other 650 people that have RSVP’d’.
It wasn’t quite the fireside chat I’d been hoping for and apart for the urge to book a flight to somewhere incredibly remote; the night was a success and the beginning of a new chapter in my life.
I’ve since realised that it’s one thing to create a book about depression and it’s another entirely to get up in a room full of strangers and prize open your chest. Terrifying and rewarding at the same time.
When I delivered I Had a Black Dog to Pan Mac Millan in 2005 I emphatically stated that it was not my intention to become the poster boy for depression. I told them defiantly that it maybe part of who I am but it’s not the sum total.
Them’s fighting words were subconscious attempts counter balance my gnawing, inner fear and turmoil about what I launching into the ether.
This little book was after all, was the polar opposite of the appearance I’d been so carefully grooming and projecting for the last 20 years. One shiny, happy, chappy with a resume of tricks.
What I’ve since learned is that if you allow yourself to be authentic and if you allow yourself to go into a spirtual free fall it’s amazing where life can and will take you.
For years I was terrified of what people would think or do if they found out I harboured a head full of woe. The Imax theatre in my mind played horror films in 3D and
Dolby Hi-Fidelity of possible outcomes. What I’ve since learnt is that being truly genuine and authentic is actually quite a rare human commodity. In truth the majority of us tend live our lives like those surface dwelling mosquito’s whom live their lives skimming, without ever going deep.
I’m not suggesting that we all need to publicly air our troubles or talk constantly of deep and meaningful’s but if we wish to overcome difficulties it’s important to (a) face who we truly are (b) learn the skills to communicate authentically to those we love (c) go easy on ourselves (d) admit that we’re not alone (e) realise that it’s ok and not a crime to ask for help. Otherwise, like me; we tend repeat lessons until learnt and that can be a long, crummy & painful class.
Since the Illumni Speech I’ve done many such talks all over Australia mostly to corporations and rural communities. Both of these environments are radically different but the problems of mental health are the same. In the country there’s the attitude of ‘she’ll be right mate’ and in business ‘you’re only as good as your last deal’.
There’s no room for ‘I’m not happy and I have no idea why’ or ‘help!’
The public attitude towards it is not unlike someone farting on a bus, everyone is aware of it’s existence but they won’t acknowledge it and the person who farted did won’t own up to it for fear of ridicule.
But at the end of the day we all fart because we’re only human.
When you consider that last year, in Australia alone there was over 20 million scripts written out for anti-depressant and anxiety medication. The boardrooms, tents or paddocks I’ve talked in have been pretty much to full capacity, not because I’m an outstanding speaker or incredibly good looking (ha ha) but because there is a great need for information and understanding on the subject.
To me it’s all about turning a negative into a positive, it’s about facing adversity and coming out the other side. It’s about instituting change within the society we live and the places we work so that this, condition, disease, Black Dog, what ever you might call it can be better understood, articulated and dealt with.
I don’t like to think about it as talking about depression per say, depression is a label.
It’s about human frailty which all of us can relate to on some level.
If you are interested in me talking for a group or event please contact me on ihadablackdog@hotmail.com and I’ll send you a brief synopsis of my presentation.
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